Now Reading: SC says consumer forums not for retired judges’ rehabilitation
-
01
SC says consumer forums not for retired judges’ rehabilitation
The Supreme Court on Thursday criticised consumer forums for their slow disposal of cases, saying they cannot become 'rehabilitation centres for retired judges and bureaucrats'. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant,…
The Story in Brief
The Supreme Court on Thursday criticised consumer forums for their slow disposal of cases, saying they cannot become 'rehabilitation centres for retired judges and bureaucrats'. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana flagged a news report that a consumer case filed in 2019 was listed only once in 2022 and had no hearing until 2026. The court ordered a pan-India performance evaluation of these quasi-judicial bodies.
The bench directed the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) president to submit a report within two weeks on total pendency, vacancies, average disposal rate, and estimated time to clear pending matters. States must also provide data on district and state commissions. Over 5.7 lakh cases are pending across the three-tier system, with district forums accounting for more than 4 lakh. The court also asked the Union government about setting up regional NCDRC benches to reduce travel for poor consumers.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that consumer forums are mere sinecures for retired judges misses the point. Yes, the slow disposal is unacceptable, but the root cause is chronic understaffing and poor infrastructure. Blaming the members alone, as the court did, is one-sided. The real test is whether the court's performance evaluation will lead to faster appointments and better facilities, or just another report gathering dust. The number of pending cases should drop measurably in a year.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
